Guest blogger Eddie, Eddie, Eddie: Rangers-Penguins in review

The Rangers are in a funk. Is it time to panic? Making the playoffs is looking more like a pipe dream. Beating a Pittsburgh team now having won eight in a row, on the road, was perhaps too much to ask. But those losses to the Sabres and Jets sure planted the seeds of doubt for even the most optimistic fan. This game demonstrated that those seeds have now taken root. Any hope for me as to a deep run this spring has been ruptured. Last season was terrific. The best since the Cup. This season is not going as planned. With that, I give you the following:

1) Pens won 3-0. Crosby with 5 goals and 7 assists. There have been many great players in the NHL, but no player defies the laws of mathematics when it comes to being credited with points like Sid.

2) Speaking of Sid. It’s no secret that most fans outside Pittsburgh despise the Penguins, and that whiny baby has to be one of the biggest reasons. No doubt supremely talented. However, he complains to the officials nearly every time he is on the ice. You would think his own teammates would be embarrassed by all that moaning and groaning. And that moustache? The whiskers on my kitty are more manly.

3) How about the Penguins broadcast team? Errey and Steigerwald, arguably the biggest homers since the invention of the microphone, could not possibly be less objective. Their act is either fueled by mass amounts of hallucinogens or they purposefully are comedic geniuses. As example, play goes on and Sid elbows Girardi — this is what what you hear…”..ahhhhh there should be a penalty on the Rangers for that, behind the play, Girardi’s face hit Sid’s elbow….and the referee was standing right there.” Complain all you want about Salmon Joe, but I would stick a hot poker in my ears if I had to listen to those two ding dongs call every game. When McD, off balance, pushed Dupris into the boards. Steigerwald called it, and I paraphrase, “the most heinous act in the last century”

4) Well, you can’t win every game. But, expecting a SOG in the first 11 minutes doesn’t seem all that unreasonable. Hags had the first even strength shot at the 17 minute mark. The first period looked like the Varsity against the JVs. When you struggle just to make a line change winning is not your primary objective.

5) Down 1-0 after one was a reprieve. Rangers fought back and played a good second period. No real scoring chances of their own but at least they appeared to be trying. These days, that is to be applauded.

6) Down 1-0 after two was just a tease. The Penguins looked bored. Play hard enough to win. No reason for the Penguins to exert unnecessary energy.

7) Hammr has made me forget about CABER. More … Hammr will not win the Norris Trophy this year. What was Slats thinking? Oh wait, why am I thinking Slats was thinking? I would assume before signing him someone watched him work out at least once. Seems that putting a sundial on Hammr timing him end to end would have convinced the Rangers to say no thank you. Stu Bickel on one leg is a better player.

8) Hank tried. He was good yesterday. On the Pens’ first goal, credit Stralman and Hammr with the assists. Hammr got caught trying to pinch in on his own blue line (how is that possible?). Stralman playing only slightly less worse, allowed Bo Bennett, one of the purest goal scores in the game, to beat him to the puck and score his second goal of the season, first at even strength.

9) Say what you will about MAF but put Hank on the Penguins and the Black Hawks would have more losses. Can’t blame Hank. Credit Eminger with the second goal. Kick save and a beauty — right over Hank’s left shoulder.

10) More Hammr? The game was over at 2-0, but his play on the Pens’ third goal was not how you are taught to play defense. Was that a breast stroke on the ice? The butterfly? Give Richards the secondary assist. Watching him wave and fan on his back check reminded me why he isn’t in any Selke Trophy conversations.

11) TOI needs a subcategory. TLOI — Time Laying On the Ice. The Rangers no longer flop around just trying to block shots or stymie odd man rushes, now they slip and slide like it was an audition for a Paul Simon video circa 1977. Not sure if it’s a skate problem, balance issues, or what, but our boys could have used the double runners on their skates Saturday. I lost count after 10 fall downs — and that was only the first period.

12) Enough negativity. There were several positives to take away. One, it ended. Two, a couple of nice hits on Crosby by Girardi. Three, Matt Cooke was nailed in the ankle by a Girardi shot from the point. As a result, Girardi gets my third star.

13) Hags played a good game. Along with Hank, the only real bright spots. I imagine there are quite a few teams that would like to pry him loose, but Sather would never do that … he isn’t that stupid … Hold that thought …

14) If the Rangers could find a way to hold their opponents to negative one, the lack of scoring wouldn’t be as much a problem. Zero beats negative one every game.

15) JR – “The end is never before the middle.”

16) A big thanks to Carp for this. A big shout shout to the night crew. Youse guys are hysterical and I love laughing with you …

(Editor’s note: Not sure whether to go with the capital Es or the commas in the name, because it seems to be a moving target. But a big thanks for filling in, and a job well done, e3. Much appreciated).

Remember, without Nash trade, there would be no Harm, there would be Erixon. Without Nash trade there would be no asham, halperin. There would be feds, prust and Mitchell. Oh, yeah, there also would be dubie, arrow, a nice small bonus. And we wouldn’t look like a bush league team. But, yeah, I would make that trade anytime. Cause it made us “instantly” (was that the word most geniuses used?) Better.

Rangers-Pens In Review: Look on the bright side addition
-Malkin held to zero goals
-We kicked their buts on face-offs
-Played them to a tie for 1:30
-They only scored one more PP goal than we did
-Our best player is more handsome than their best player
-Didn’t allow Skidney or Kunitz to add to their league leading point totals (your welcome Steve Stamkos)
-We currently don’t suck as much as the Flyers

On a more serious note, I thought Torto’s post-game comments on the offense were a bit alarming, though he may have been trying to pump tires and thereby not telling the truth. To say, more or less, that he simply lets his offense do its thing, while trying to manufacture the occasional goal with point shot-and-screening — presumably with the grinders — raises at least a couple of questions:

1) Are his experienced forwards dumping and chasing so often because that’s what their instincts tell them to do? That’s not the coach or the coaches?

2) Of course the experienced forwards know what they’re doing, but is T. telling us that when he goes over game video with them, he doesn’t remind them of the basics, such as not locking up but keeping your feet churning through your blue-line move? Not gliding when you are even with your defender but lowering your shoulder, driving the net and forcing him to make a play? These are young men, all of them, and young men need constant feedback.

Without the Nash trade you couldn’t put part of the blame where it clearly belongs and that is on the lunatic coach behind the bench and goofy ASSistant coach who has “coached” the powerplay into the joke that it is. He also is the genius that coaches the defense to flop around the ice as if they are engaged in synchronized ice swimming. Which begs the question, if Sully coaches the PP and the defense, Benny Allaire coaches the goalies, and Torts doesn’t coach the offense , his words not mine, what does Torts actually do? I know he inspires the. With the following words of wisdom:

The numbers only tell a partial story, of course, and you can’t assume they’d be the same if all the players were wearing last year’s jerseys, but I do hope the comparison grows more favorable as the year progresses.

18,000 plus fans all with a large tortorella head shot like the one up top of HL would be a fitting way to appreciate all Torts brings to the team. I would hope the photo would capture that dazed look he gets when he does not like a question and where he is either ready to go Jake Lamotta at the breakfast table in a wife beater on Sam or Brooks. That brief moment where a guy ponders if jail time is worth the rage. When you have talent playing meak affraid to make mistakes you have a team that can not produce.
So we have the issue can you send a coach down to the Conneticut Whale for conditioning or mental health or something. And if they waive Torts who would pick him up on the waiver wires except maybe Creedmores do they have a hockey team.

TLOI!! ..I arrived at the PUB midway through the 3rd, first glimpse I caught was Boyle initiating contact by barreling into a stationary Pen along the half boards – end result, Boyle sprawled on the ice, Pen (LeTang?) on his way and back into the play. Oh well, at least he tried.

Also, watching the tape (yes….i am a loser) I thought MDZ competed throughout the …ahem……..contest.

I am going to stop comparing Prust,Feds,and,Mitchell. Nash is not the reason they did not sign those guys. By the way, I would not have signed Feds and Mitchell anyway. Feds is finished and Mitchell sucks and his production now is an aberration. The trade was Cap Neutral to the Rangers. It had zero impact on those other guys. They chose to leave ( Prust ) or we chose to let them leave( other two dregs) . You can argue that who Sather brought in is awful as replacements and I would agree with that 100%, they suck!!! But to argue that Nash is the reason that this is happening is dumb! He has been great and up until these last 3 games has made everyone he plays with better. Something is happening inside the lockeroom that we are not privie to that is not good. I think they have tuned Torts out.

Well….at least (speaking of Gilroy…I thought that he was no longer a member of the team)…..
there’s no blame they can lay on him, and for those who want to see him gone,….well It’s possible that along about now, he might well be wishing himself gone also.

It actually was not only a deplorable performance, but on occasion Tortorella stood there with a
( smirk, would you call it?,,,,,,,,,,and would you call it coaching, that he does?)

Furthermore, last years team played way over their heads. After the about the 45-50 or so game mark, the Rangers were a .500 team including the playoffs.

I also feel that the draft has been better by the team but still nowhere near where it has to be. They miss way too much with their high picks. The players are at least making the NHL but not making the impact you hope for. They should have had players ready to step in as replacements from the system and not had to go to the scrap heap for those role players they lost.

Well done E3. A very good choice be Carp. Personally, I wouldn’t wish writing about that game on anyone.

To me, it appears only a handful of these players want to turn it around. Coasting back on defense is a pretty good indicator that you care more about your tired legs and lungs than your goalie facing an odd man rush. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Callahan do that, but some of the guys making more than him on this team sure have.

Zero chemistry on this team right now, whereas last year’s team was like a periodic table. Everyone was on the same page, drinking the kool-aid. Except for a few times when 24 or 61 took the team on their back, covering the warts as Carp likes to say, they haven’t come close to playing as a 20 man unit.

Last year, Hagelin’s call up infused some life into that team and they really didn’t look back. Is there anyone in the Nutmeg State capable of doing that? If J and K put on their Ray-bans and do that infra-red light thing on Kreider and make him forget everything that has happened since t he 2012 playoffs, then yea. In other words, no their isn’t anyone down their to provide a shot in the collective arms of this group.

1) I agree with Carp when he says that the team’s bottom six is nowhere as good as last year. I’m not a huge proponent of fighting, especially the staged kinds, but last year the Rangers were among the teams leading in fights, this year, they shy away from them. Teams take cheapshots, and with our PP being so poor are not afraid to take penalties.

2) The have gotten away from the game that won them the East last year, dumping the puck, grinding it in the corner and getting the puck in front of the net. Now this is a team trying to be a slick passing team without the talent to do so. I don’t know if this is Nash’s influence or not, or Richards but this team is CONSTANTLY looking to make the pretty play instead of shooting or dumping. We’re back to the Rangers of 2 seasons ago, that make one too many passes, get stripped at the blue line or fight the puck on the stick. I must have counted at least 5 times yesterday where they passed the puck instead of shooting and coughed it up. You know if you pepper Fleury with shots he’s going to give up a cheap one. But they didn’t.

3) Defensively, I said before the season that this is a team that needs another D-Man, and they failed to find one. You can keep rotating in Gilroy or Bickel or yes, Hamerlik, but they STILL need another guy. Hopefully Slats sees that, but doesn’t trade away our youth for one. But I’m not sure who he can go get, without giving up someone good.

4) The coach. Honestly, I don’t think Torts is the problem. The thing is, the team, based on their talent has transitioned to an uptempo skating team more than a grinding team. Torts had a team just like that in TB and won a cup with them. Perhaps in his mind, the team can still be what they were last year and he’s trying to stick with it. I don’t know, but I do think he’s the right coach. I think they DO need to bring in a REAL PP specialist though, because they seem lost.

5) Gabby. If you remember, when he was with Minnesota he was always one good season followed by one bad one. Well I think we are seeing it. I do blame Torts for trying to make him a LW. Keep him on the RW and give him some rope. If after 10 games at RW he hasn’t gotten on track, then I’ll blame Gabby.

6) Nash. During this losing streak, Nash has disappeared. We haven’t seen that amazing puck presence. And defensively, he’s been bad. I think he’s hurt and he doesn’t want to say. Give him kudos for that, but if he’s hurting the team, then he needs to get better.

7) On yesterday’s game. They did a great job on Crosby, and yes his still a whiny crybaby. But I knew it was not going to be good when Bennett and not one of their big guys score the first goal. They really miss Staal, and his game is not appreciated until he’s not there. He’s the only D-man they have that really can bring the puck up and force the other team’s D to back in so the Rangers can set up. MDZ does this somewhat, but he’s more of a get to the point and set things up. Staal forces the issue. And it’s a shame he got hurt when he did. He might have been playing his best hockey.

8) Lastly, don’t panic. The goal is to get into the playoffs. Get hot the last 10 games and ride it. Last season Kings make the playoffs on the last day and win the cup. A couple of years ago, Flyers get in last day and make the finals. I contend that the Rangers played SOOO hard all season that by the time the conf finals rolled around they were dead. Still, there are things that need improvement to get to the point where they can make a run. I hope Slats does a Neil Smith at the deadline in 94 and trades for some grit. And a 6th D-Man.

I don’t post as frequently as I’d like but I read every day. So, not sure that I will make it through another day of reading about the Nash trade and what it did to this team. I know what camp I’m in and its clear no ones about to change their mind. Reality for me is last year was beyond great but that team over achieved. Outside of the Sauer injury, everything pretty much broke our way until the playoffs. But that team was fading and couldn’t close the deal. Last year’s team would not be in a better position without the same unrealistic performances from the guts of the team. Don’t get me wrong, I see that the sum was better than the parts. But they needed to get some better parts and now all the best parts are playing like garbage. So this year reality for me is this group is closer to the middle than the top. There’s a lot more work that needs to be done but you’ve got to look at last year as an pleasant surprise and this year and those before us as a work in progress. I’m not giving up…I’m just facing reality I guess.

As for Torts comments on not practicing offense……. I believe what he is trying to say is that offense more than defense is instinctual and based on “chemistry” among the players on the ice, which to some level is true……………

However, I see major issues with the spacing of players in the offensive and the movement/positioning of the players in relation to where the puck is and who has possession. That is system related as much as instinctual and can be coached.

As for shots from the point,,,, there is little threat from the point on this team because
a) shots are not executed well and
b) Rangers forwards are horrible at getting to rebounds

The other thing is, Torts needs to leave the lines alone. I kind of like how it was set up yesterday despite not scoring. I like Stepan-Cally and Nash…Richards-Gabby-Haglin. It’s not the lines that’s the problem, it’s the teams need to play better!!. I love Stepan’s mad passing skills and Cally’s grind and Nash’s puck presence, but they need to be left alone and get some chemistry. Same with Richards. The problem with Richards right now is mental. He’s fighting the puck, you can see it. His passes have been horrible, he loses control of the puck all the time. He might need to be sat a game and get his head on straight.

And I know Kreider wasn’t playing that well, but maybe it’s time he comes up and plays. I don’t get the love affair with JT Miller. He looks like a 3rd line grinder to me, not an offensive threat. Michelleti thinks this guy is going to be Crosby and Malkin all rolled into one. He’s going to be a good player, in the AA mold, not a superstar. Kreider on the other hand, CAN be a superstar. He just needs to learn. Can we do any worse with Kreider than we are with Halperin and Pyatt and Boyle? If we ARE going to be a speed and finesse team then we need more speed and finesse players. If Slats is going to trade for grit, then I get it, but we can’t be a finesse team and play like a gritty team. The more finesse players the better.

Steveknj – good points. The rangers have tried to make the perfect pass since 1970 when I began following then closely. It’s in their team DNA to make that extra pass. Second, they don’t pass well. Fanning on passes. Passes rarely go tape to tape. And worst of all? The rangers NEVER seem it hit each other in stride with speed. It’s incredible how such a basic skill is so eroded on this team.

Good points except I would add that they are not allowed to use their instincts on offense. They all go behind the net and grind in the corners. No one goes to set up in front of the net. When you play offense, part of executing it is to be able to take some risks. With risks comes some errors which you hope your goalie and defense can clean up. But when you succeed, it gives you confidence to make plays. This team is afraid to try and make plays because they are benched the minute one mistake is made. Unless of course your name is Richards.

Bottom line, confidence is a huge factor in a good offense as is a good game plan. This team on offense has neither.

And for a defense first team, they sure give up alot of quality scoring chances. They did last year as well. Hank was just their to clean it up. And with that said they are still in the top five in defense. That is not thier problem. It is scoring goals. Torts preaches that a strong defense leads to offense. Nothing could be further from the truth. A strong offensive game plan leads to offense.

The dump/chase/grind/forecheck approach only works if you have guys who can/want to do it. I love Gaborik’s skill set, hands second to none, but to use him to work the corners and pry the puck from often the other teams best D pair seems square peg/round hole to me.

Is it too much to ask that instead of 3 guys racing to the net parallel on a rush you have one trail the play to pick up a rebound and/or not have 3 forwards trapped behind the other teams 5 players as they go back the other way. It seems like that happens way too much this season.

“They are tuning Torts out”? Seriously,these overpaid unproductive and over rated stiffs are tuning the coach out because he’s frustrated that they are unproductive, overpaid and over rated and he can’t really comment on the roster he was handed by the front office!

The above despite the unanimous opinion that the bottom 6 forwards stink, the defense is a finesse group and the overpriced imports don’t mesh?

Once again who are you experts suggesting could do a better job with this group?

Agree, sometimes the forwards are 3 deep on or below the goal line almost on a horizontal plane. The scary thing for me when I see that, if Torts is “letting them play on instinct” as he says, some of these guys have instincts on the level of a mite/squirt player!

If you watched the offensive zone spacing by Pittsburg yesterday and the way they were able to move the puck from player to player. The Rangers problem is when a player wins the one on one battle and gains possession, he often has limited options because of poor positioning by his weak side or non-puck possessing teammates. Offensive flow lacks creativity.

E3- nice recap on a piece of Cooke game. Thanks to you and the night crew! My pre pattys day party was a huge success – the tullamore dew10 yr. Was a hit- except I think that stuff evaporated whenever we left the cap off for too long…

I question their health. Physical health and from the resulting poor play, mental health. Nash, Richards, McD, Girardi, Stall are the obvious from hits/pucks they have taken, Gaborik the not as obvious.

Outside of Staal, do the Rangers have ONE defenseman who is good at the transition game? They don’t. MDZ could get there, but right now that’s not their game. Know why the 94 Rangers could generate offense? Because Leetch and Zubov could carry the puck up the ice and set up the offense. They don’t really have a player like that. Look what what Latang does for Pittsburgh or what Karlsson did last year against us for Ottawa. That’s what we need. Easier said than done. I don’t see anyone in the minors with that sort of skill. Otherwise you have to play the muck and grind game, and they no longer have the players to play that game.

wow!! rangers scored a total of 2 goals in 3 games against teams who are not good defensive teams. This team is flawed and unless the roster changes for the better this group will not make the playoffs. I personally think Richards is shot. I can’t wait until they buy him out.

Kreider Miller Hags
Cally Step Nash
Gabby BR Zucc
Haley Boyle Fierrero
Powe
G Staal
MDZ McD
Stral McIl
Then when any D takes a shot they need to try and not miss the net all the time . joe says it is always a pass for t tip in try but pure and simple they are missing the net . They will make it to the dance but not by much. Don,t know and can,t figure BR out . Hope they stay the course with Gabby , i know if my boss keeps telling me i am no good it would make me feel that way after a while . He will work his way out of it . Unless you can get Evander Kane or some one like that for him , whocould you get that would help you more when they are playing the way he is playing at his best . We need a Subban or big Buff at the point to run the PP . It is going to be hard but i think we make it to the Playoffs , then it is a new season and the first one to win 16 games has the parade . I would like to see 20-47-62 play as aline for a few games together as they could be a line that stays together for years and grows together . A little bit of everything you want from aline D Hags Sniper Kreid and Miller see,s the ice well and boy can they all flat out skate . would you rather have them out there or would you rather have 8-22-15 out there

Stevek, I like Karlsson too, good with and without the puck, but the Rangers held him to one goal in playoffs, no assists. That one goal was pass from the corner that a made hard left turn off DZ’s skate. 1G, 5A in 12 games last year regular season and playoffs vs. the Rangers.

Letang is a heck of a player. They are indeed missing a good offensive defenseman. The kid the Canes drafted this year is the next great offensive dman. He can really play the offensive game. It is one f te reasons why I wabted them to draft Fowler. Although the Ducks dont really let him go too much. He can rush the puck like Neidermyer most recently used to. We desperatly need a very good offensive dman that can rush the puck. MDZ aint it. And neiter is Staal. MCD can do it but he is like the Giants offense. Moves the ball up and down the fiels until they get inside the 20. Than nothing.

Another guy Sather should have gone after is Nick Foligno. E played very well against us last year in the playoffs. He is a very good third line player than takes the body and can actually play the ame. I believe the Jackets traded a mid round draft pick for him. Thats it. He clearly is a better fit for Torts system than Pyatt. Between him and Steve Ott, we could have had a really good and skilled team here. But That rquires for you to be awake and not be fishing.

AH!!! the first round pick that now will become a lottery pick for Columbus. AH!!! Columbus, a team that will now draft well and become a very good team that will now be in the rangers division, you can’t make this stuff up, only the ranger, ranger fans will continue to suffer.

He was scary for sure Papa. Last year’s team kept Karlsson for the most part, on the periphery, and didn’t let shots through. Karlsson has Leetch-like skills and Richards-like contract. Too bad. I feel that series was extended by the Rangers not matching the physicality of the Sens and not being able to score themselves.

Since the Rangers will be getting a top 5 pick this year, let’s turn our eyes to the draft. Can we get a 6’4″, 220 lb. scorer with fighting ability and a nasty streak who can step right in next season and contribute? Get on that Slats.

good news torts and sather will still have the likes of powe and Halpern in the lineup tomorrow along with other drecks.
why go down with the ship without a fight???make some moves..kreider up….mza sgn, Halpern waive bye bye.. haley adios, etc..

awesome post eddie!! loved it. should be carps backup writer should emergency arise. of course i say this knowing i dont give carp enough credit for his work and dedication to the blog every single day. . i come here at least 3-4 times a day to read carps patented 13 point game reviews.

Czech, thanks for the response [I went and had a life for a couple of hours — the shame of it] and fine if you want to separate out those not specifically involved in the Nash trade. I had thought there was more of a ripple effect before and after the big trade, but perhaps not, and you are right that the replacements were not adequate in any case. It seemed different when Pyatt started as our best forward and before we knew Asham would never play. That would have made Halpern look more like a useful role player than a member of Dreck, Inc. that we see today — CEO Boyle.

For all the Nash Naysayers, I agree he seems he has been silenced the last 3 games. Is something wrong with him? Only his hairdresser knows….

But, the way team chemistry is shaking out, there must be some lack of ‘glue’ in the locker room. Whether it’s the coach always putting people down, the ‘c’ not being a ‘c’, the other team leaders not stepping up, the finesse players not being ‘protected’ by the ‘non-finesse’ players. Whatever. It doesn’t look good at this point in time in this shortened season.

If I had to choose reasons, while some of us thought the Nash deal was logical, I was ok with it AND losing Feds, who played great for us as a role player, but seemed ready to fade away. The replacement of ‘steady but not great’ Mitchell wasn’t necessary.

The loss of Prust, I have said many times, should have been avoided by our great GM a year and a half ago, like Ottowa resigned Neil over a year before contract expiration for something like $2m x3 (is Neil not better than Prust?). You see, Glen, if you ‘show a little love’ way in advance of contract termination and players may stay. If you let them test FA when they are riding high, they find their overpriced value and can run. To call him stubborn is an understatement, but he does the same thing with everyone.

Water under the bridge, as I have seen and said for a decade and most of you do understand by now (a poorly stocked AHL team, below average drafting, inconsistent FA signings, wasted dollars) our GM is an abysmal failure.

Last year was a great fluke. It was great watching a team that was hard to play against and where the players stood up for each other. A TEAM. The loss of Prust and some others changed chemistry (certainly when we lost Prust, we should have traded Boyle because his heart and soul and best bud and playmate left). There was NO reason to have to replace our bottom two lines in receiving one of the better players in the game. A player here or there, ok. But the concept was to trade for Nash and leave as much as you could alone. After all, ECF finals was pretty good. And if we had a 4th line like the Derbils had to rotate into, who knows if we wouldn’t have gone further?

Prayers and hopes to make the playoff’s this year. Not to sure what happens beyond that.

Thank you, thank you all….I’d like to thank the academy, my fellow nominees…..you were all so great this year…..each and every one of you deserve this award……my agent over at AVERY Inc.. my friends, family,…..and especially to the other two eddies…as a trio, i know sometimes, you two get lost in the shuffle…but i want to publicly thank you both for allowing me to be all of us…

Anyone notice that both Matteau and Tinordi Jr.s have or are having their debuts this year? Two large young men with the requisite mean streak, components definitely missing from the “ice capades” roster here?

I differ with the Feds-bashers, thought he was a genuine two-way forward, loved watching him do the little things right. Is he done? Hard to tell on the equally crap team he joined, but maybe he is. Given what we have now, though, I wouldn’t mind having his two-Cup presence back in the locker room, and a guy who can also play a little. The Prust loss is more obvious, of course, but it turns out he doesn’t grow on trees.

Norm, those of us that watched him and were present at games for the last two years, saw the chemistry he had with Boyle, MDZ, and a number of players on the team. The fact the he stood up for anyone on his team (even though he rarely, if ever, won a fight) gave the other role players a model to look up to and emulate. He’s doing that in Montreal and is one of a number of reasons they are an incredible turnaround team.

When you are a pro-GM you make choices all the time. Some work, some don’t. This guy’s haven’t worked for a long time. Like 25 years. The loss of heart and soul is worth more than an extra million. I kind of think he is overpaying for a few guys on the roster anyway, isn’t he?

We’ve over talked the loss of Prust on this blog. There were those of us that knew it was a mistake for team chemistry. Sather and others felt otherwise. This team is not what it was last year. It’s relatively faceless and lacking chemistry as yet. There is no doubt his loss is part of the reason. And it didn’t need to be.

Get Nash, yes, for a few players. Replace the bottom 2 lines? No. That wasn’t what most of us were thinking.

watch fedestinko on Philly, he stinks and is contrbuting nothing and is old..

beside that he is doing great.

really want to fix the team internally it is not to hard; site halpern and powe, bring up kreider and sign mza…

3rd line is now miller, mza, kreider

4th line is pyatt, boyle and asham

the team is already better. you want to go further sit asham or boyle and call up thomas..

all of a sudden you have put 3 guys in the lineup who can receive a pass and hit the net on occassion….

you want to go for it trade gabby for glencross and giordanao and the d is better, you lose high end offense but maybe you adda guy better suited for this type of team…glencross can skate, play 2nd line, is physical and girdano moves stralman to 3rd pair with mdz when staal comes back.

d is girardi and staal, mcdonagh and girodano, stralman and mdz…waive gilroy and halpern and send down haley.

I bet that is a better team, a more competitive/physical team, a more cohesive and well balanced team, and more enjoyable to watch

Good points on your first post. Would love to bring in Clowe. I have always liked him. He is a UFA at seasons end and may not cost that much. I am little alarmed that he has not scored yet this season. Than again, he would fit right in with the plethora of zero or next to zero bottom six guys here.

Agree on Pyatt, but I thought he was being brought in more as a fourth line forward not third line. He has never been mucj more than a borderline bottom 6 guy.

In my earlier post, I stated that Sather was asleep when guys like Foligno and Ott were available. Two guys that would be perfect playing on the third or even spot duty on the first two lines. But Sather as usual was sleeping or fishing.

I think with the way the Sabers are playing, we may have a shot at Ott again.

There are way too many things our GM does, Izzy, that are non-sensical.

I deplore his lack of willingness to renegotiate players that are playing well for him WAY in advance of their contract expiration. From the standpoint of loyalty what more tells your players you will reward their hard work than to pay them the biggest compliment? Take a look at the good GM’s and you will see they ALL do it (even Lou). This isn’t Edmonton, it’s NY. Players, generally WANT to stay here!!

Could go on and on. We have all talked of the laundry list of overpaid FA’s that have wasted away here.

Didn’t he say he was going to go with youth and build by draft about 4-5 years ago? How’s that project going with average, at best, drafting, and bringing in not only Gabby, but Richards, to still make us top-heavy? What was the reason he abandoned that ship?

Our defense top 5 (including Sauer) IS home grown. Kudos for that!!!!! Too bad he forgot to get a player that can be a point man and one who is big enough and able to clear the front of the net. OOOOOOps!!!

Kreider is not ready, does not matter. neither is halpern, powe, boyle, haley, bickel, asham, and gilroy.. i just listed 7 guys who play, about 5 regularly that actually bring nothing to the team…NADA ZILCH ZIPPO.

they are playing with about 13 guys on a nightly basis.

28th in goals scored.. nope offense is not aproblem, our high end guys are still good…

gabby for girodano and glencross and a 3rd if that is too 1 sided help both teams. calgary can continue there delusional chase to make the playoffs and become relevant and the rangers can become more balanced…..

Hmm, Rangers won’t have a first-round pick in this year’s amateur draft, will they? So, finishing at the bottom of the NHL table would only help Columbus, wouldn’t it? OK then, would someone please tell me what it feels like to be depressed? I want to know if I’m there yet.

We have a good defense. But the defenseman have similar skills. Like to see more versatility among the group. Short on “pay the price,mean and nasty” and pick carrying skill. We can move the puck, but don’t carry it well enough to break down neutral zone defenses.

eddie: informative, entertaining, exemplary. Tough day to host, but you kept an admirable objectivism (not Ayn Rand’s) defining the inadequacies, but leaving us boneheads a tenuous lifeline of hope. Bravo and thank you for all the hours of work involved.

Steve Zipay is reporting that the Rangers have an interest in Derek Brassard. He is a talented but enigmatic 2006 first round pick. 45 point guy who scores about 15 goals a year. Decent size and he skates well but makes 3+ million per year.

Czech makes a great point, the Nash trade only assured that erixon, AA, and dubi would be gone. The other guys people talk about more than likely would have left anyhow.

One of the biggest problems with this team has been a problem for quite a while and with the exception of last season, obviously still isn’t remedied. Playable toughness.

There is too large of a gap between the “tough” players and the top lines and ice time. If all of your tough players, the players that turn emotion into big hits, scrums, and fights to motivate or create energy for your team only get 4 or 5 minutes a night, of course you are going to look flat on most nights and when you fall behind early, you are going to have a tough time catching up.

HOCKEY IS A GAME OF EMOTION as much as it is skill

Last season if torts was worried about the team being flat on the road, he puts out prust and rupp to see if the home team coach responds in kind to get the boys juiced. It may not work every time, but i guarantee it helped. If the team was flat prust or rupp or bickel or dubi went out and started something or attempted to. Hell. avery was pretty good at this very thing (sorry Carp, didn’t mean to use the 5 letter word).

Right now the “energy guys” get minimal ice time (why make the trade for powe if he is going to play 5 minutes? I’d rather have rupp back and attempt to provide energy). Last season you could play prust on the 2nd or 3rd line, or dubi, or bickel might see 10 or 12 minutes occasionally to provide more “distributed” toughness.

The other thing that bothers me that coincides with this “gap” in toughness has to do with the coach. Since we don’t have playable toughness at this point (paging mr clowe) the toughness we do have, as many of you like to point out here, are bottom tier players, and I think torts is so concerned at taking bad penalties that he sort of keeps them in check in a not good way. I’m not saying torts specifically tells them to not hit or what ever, but if he glues a marginal player to the bench for taking a bad penalty or going out of position to make a big hit, they want to stay in the NHL and play, so they probably won’t risk it.

I think this is a bad problem. If we want offencive guys like Kreider to be able to learn from their mistakes and play with 3 zone deficiencies, then energy guys should be able to play through bad penalties while doing what they do. Clearly, torts doesn’t allow either.

Case and point…Mr. Haley 18 fights in the AHL this season, 2 (TWO) in the NHL. You can’t tell me that Haley (like him or not) has completely changed the way he plays on his own. Yes, there is a difference in the league and players (not as many guys trying to make a name for themselves in the NHL vs AHL), but Haley wants to play in the NHL, so I’m sure he knows if he takes penalties he gets glued to the pine or sent back down. To me this is a problem, and it’s on the coach.

How are things in Glocca Morra?
Is that little brook still leaping there?
Does it still run down to Donny Cove
Through Killybegs, Killkerry and Kildare?
Is that willow tree still weeping there?
Does that lassie with the twinkling eye
Come whistling by, and does she walk away
Sad and dreamy there
Not to see me there?

2 years ago in the playoffs OT game they lost, gabbys fault.
A guy who has scored a ton of goals like gabby has over many seasons will score a few big goals.

he does not compete hard consistently enough…that is why he is a loser….

trade him for multiple assets, I am sure he will make his new team a contender with his world class abilities…when he is not scoring he adds nothing; he does not kill penalties, is weak in his d zone, does not take the body, and is terrible in the shootout. Those aspects of his game are not in dispute…career he has been incredibly terrible in shootouts, regular season that matters…

Its amazing watching Pittsburgh play offense. It doesn’t matter who is on the ice but there is always a man in front of the net no matter what. They even shift forwards from one side to the other but always to the front. They always go to the net with the puck. You just don’t see the incessant pointless cycling with no idea what to do with the puck like we do. Watch guys, this is Boston they are doing it to. No slouch on defense.

I think the bruins are better then the penguins. better goaltending and d will win out when it counts…

penguins are not scoring 4 goals a game in the playoffs

bourque for the bruins was given a look on the 3rd/4th line 20 games or so, he did not cut it. put on qaives not picked up, down in providence.
why not the same with powe, Halpern, boyle and others??/ WHy the hell not????

yo utelling me playing kreider in the nhl now will destroy his career… no way. kids nowadays play at big competitions thruout there career…whjc, ncaa, etc…he simply needs to play and be patient with him, he will get it sooner or later….

powe, Halpern, boyle, ahsam/haley add nothing to the team and with our big stars not really being big stars except in salary they need to get more offense fro mthe secondary guys, how friggin complicated is this concept.

if you have a malkin and Crosby seconday scoring is less important.. gabby, nash, and bucktooth are not malkin and Crosby and neal not in the same conversation……………

the Ranger rush is vanilla through and through. they always seem to come in parallel, there is little crossing or coming in late. and frankly, they are just not very good passers. richards seems to have lost his timing completely. they rarely get passes through from behind the net, on the rare occasion that they have someone in front. I just think that there are a lot of guys out there with limited skills for offense. And some of the ones that have them are not displaying them.

3E nice job, for a garbage game. It would have been difficult to see a bright spot in this loser. You’re right about sliding around the ice. I expect they’ll be practicing snow angels soon.

Thought I really despised Filthy Flyers — NOT! After watching the Pens this season, they now have that honor. As long as the whiner is on this team it would be difficult to give him any respect. BTW-Flyers have fallen just a bit lower than Pens on my list.

Again, enjoyed your input and hope you get another opportunity to do another write-up.

whos taking gabby at this point. at 7.5 mil for one year the rangers will have to entice someone to pick up that contract. that means throwing some youth. u know how they covet there kids (miller kreider mcilrath)

what scary is we have zero depth in hartford right now besides thomas.

Yes. .89 points per game is a valuable statistic. I agree with you with regards to Gaborik’s value. I did not agree with your use of game winning goals and a overtime playoff game winner to support his value.

Gaborik is not a loser. He is what he is. A goal scorer who does at times disappear. The notion that you cant get anything for him now is just foolish. Both posts are emotional posts by passionate and frustrated fans who expect this team to contend for the Cup. But right now, they are a question mark to even make the playoffs. We are all frustrated by their inept offense and lack of toughness.

1. As a former goalie myself, ultimately I don’t know how you cannot blame at least 2 of the goals on Hank, Emminger not withstanding. The first goal is a shot Hank needs to stop. The second goal as well. He was just slightly out of position and because of that he did his best Marty Biron impression. The third goal was a group effort. However Hank wound up sprawling and lunging for the puck like the defensemen in front of him. However his defensemen put him in a horrible position so at the end of the day, that goal was definitely not his fault.

2. This is the first time in a long while that I saw a goalie keep his team in the game and then, all of a sudden, help to put his team in jeopardy in the same game. However this game was faaaaaar from Hank’s fault. You can’t win if you can’t score.

3. No one on the bench having a stick ready for Nash when he skated by after his stick broke is reprehensible and pretty much a microcosm of this team’s season so far. Tortorella can’t escape criticism on that one. When it comes down to it he’s the one that needs to keep the players aware of what’s happening on the ice while they’re on the bench playing tiddlywinks.

4. While at the Panthers game yesterday I saw a team that would take no criticism playing the injury card when discussing their season, play harder for at least a 2 minute span than the Rangers probably have this entire season. And in that span scored 3 goals to tie the game in the 3rd. This is a team that is missing 2 players on the first line for the rest of the season, having literally only played a single game as a whole line this year. They’re also missing their starting goaltender and 3 of their top 6 defensemen. And yet they would up giving the fans an exciting 3rd period. By the way, the Panthers are only 8 points behind the Rangers. Pathetic.

Evrock – i saw that 2nd goal hit Eminger’s skate and deflect ever so slightly over and up on Hank…..could he have been out a bit more cutting down the angle? Probably. But that isnt how he plays…He likes being deep…….I agree on the first one wasn’t a great goal to let in….

Gaborik will/would be a solid scorer with a top center and another decent wing to distract the opposition. This will not happen with the Rangers.

I do agree with the idea of giving lines the opportunity to develop chemistry which does not happen here because every year new people are being added!

Could it be that the famed early entree’ to the HOF doesn’t have a clue as to how to build a winner. “Go with the youngsters”?

Jessiman, Sanguenetti,McIllrath ad infinitum? The idea is you must know how to evaluate talent. The Oilers were an aberration, a confluence of talent seen rarely in sports and while Sather certainly had input into that success, when it was over has never been able to duplicate anything close.

i give mdz a hard time and think he makes bad decisions would get a haul back.. he is 22 years old….

the problem with the rangers is simple they do not have enough good players, they have high end and low low end, nothing in between…there 3rd and 4th lines are hurting them almost as much as gabby and richards decrease in production.

“Could it be that the famed early entree’ to the HOF doesn’t have a clue as to how to build a winner. “Go with the youngsters”?

Jessiman, Sanguenetti,McIllrath ad infinitum? The idea is you must know how to evaluate talent. The Oilers were an aberration, a confluence of talent seen rarely in sports and while Sather certainly had input into that success, when it was over has never been able to duplicate anything close.”

*****Mr. Comnsnse, I rarely think your posts make much sense, but the above does. In Edmonton, I guess one could argue, as is happening now, you have to make the right picks and then the team has to gel. The current Edmonton team is LOADED, still not a champion. Stay tuned. But, who couldn’t have picked #99 in the draft as touted as he was? The guy, Slats, stepped in it and has made a livelihood ever since. You want to watch a good GM? Take a look in Newark. That’s a guy who has put together a deft organization the can scout talent AND place players where they belong. I’ll take their $2.5M total 4th line over ours, whatever the cost. And when those players move on, he’ll find others within his organization.

It starts with the draft. A ‘system’ is nice to have and they have a great one. They are not as top loaded with Kovie, Elias and Zodiac, but they have 5 d-men earning $3m plus. Even Marty makes only $4.5M. They have a number of under $1m contracts. Smart management. Good drafting.

Oh, and one other thing a good GM does. He rewards his good players with the opportunity to re-up WAY BEFORE their contract expires. He tried and failed with Parise. Sometimes it doesn’t work out. He succeeded with Zajac. Nice to lock in a good player long term for a fair number both ways ($5M for Zajac).

The only place Mark Staal may ask to be traded to is the team we will beat tomorrow night. If he asks, then you have to oblige. He was arguably our best and getting better before both ‘freak’ injuries. He has room to grow.

Detroit is another orginization that has been successful for many years working within their system and roster construction. They didn’t grossly overpay for players, and had 3 solid lines that could produce.

My biggest problem with Torts is his short term sight, and his A.D.D. when it comes to lines.
He changes lines WAY too much. Chemisty needs time to develop. Plug a lineup in, and let it ride for 8 or 10 games. Not 8 or 10 seconds and change your mind.

Good point, Solid. Especially on the Richards stuff. For whatever reason, he is poison this year. Coach should bench him and see if the team responds. Sure seems they all know they play better without him, too.

He is his poster child, too. He wanted him. He got him. He’s the noose around Torts neck. It’s closing on in…..closing on in……

The only reason Slats shouldn’t get negative credit for this year is it too soon. Really, these guys are talented enough to turn this thing around. A lot of what I see is lack of confidence. They can make the playoffs. Once in, I don’t think the visible flaws make anyone believe they can go more than a round. They are not tough enough to play, nowhere deep enough.

Don’t know what Slather was thinking over the summer. Yet, he didn’t deserve positive credit last year. That was the players and the coach making them overachievers. Flaws existed. They overachieved.

Not too much time to participate, just arrived in Antigua. But I read your posts, of course. A lot of good points, a lot if knee jerk reactions. Expected after the last three games. All I can say is stay patient, I think the real season starts tomorrow.

On a side note, I don’t know how people can live here. Last two months- 70 degrees low, 80 high. Every day :-)

Hey, if people wonder why the team lacks confidence, it’s definitely partly because their coach constantly acts like he has none in the team.

That’s what all the line shuffling is about, and that’s what all the nonsense of Kreider up and down is about as well. The upside to guys like Kreider and Miller is huge – they are both primed to be major contributors to this team and in this league, but you do have to live with rookie mistakes. In that sense there is no downside to guys like Halpern, Powe, Boyle, Pyatt but none of those guys will ever score you a goal. Safe. And safe is death, right?

You know, a line isn’t getting it done during one game and they are immediately broken up. What does that say to the guys on the line, especially if they’ve already had a few good games together? And for a guy who seems to preach patience, he has none- zero, zip, zilch. Granted at this point Richards and Gabby have been so bad that its confounding, but he just looks at what he wants, not what will help them succeed.

I’d actually bring up Kreider (6g in last 8 games but we dont need scoring) and put him with Richards and Pyatt on a THIRD line, and move Miller up into the top 6. That takes pressure OFF of Richards so he can just play. Boyle can center the fourth line.

Just to give a look see at how the old country I-rish often view things……my maiden Aunt used to sing a little ditty that referred to an Irish boy going to WW1, with his parade down Times square in 1918. that went ” Say, and did ya see me Jimmy marchin?…with the soldiers down the avenue…there was Jimmy – just as stiff as starch… (Loike his Dad on the `17th of March) …”And God help the Germans if he’s loike his Dad!” ….Sure and did ya notice all the ladies? …casting their eyes on him?”’ ..T’would make you glad’ to – see the lad….and they were all out of step but Jim.”

Watched the 3rd period of the Pens, and B’s today. it has been said here many times that the Pens can’t play D. 2 things on that. 1 you don’t have to play much D when you have the puck all the time, and 2, they sure played some good D in the 3rd today. textbook on how to protect a 1 gaol lead in the 3rd. I guess you can play a system that allows you to be creative on O, and be able to close out games on D.

Good evening all! e3, that was tremendously tremendous. Think I love the whiskers comment the best.

Anthony from AZ has asked me to share that his grandson, Little Anthony from AZ, won his hockey championship today. We are anxiously awaiting his Rangers contract for free seats at MSG. Big Anthony is very proud.

For his and the teams future, I don’t mind Kreider staying in Connecticut for a while, seems like it is working. If he is the difference for this team making the playoffs…….., I don’t think I need to finish that thought.

Matty MBN, when you believe my posts do not make “much sense” challenge them with facts not simply your opinion.

I have a unique perspective of this franchise having listened and watched for over 60 years.

When I repeat that the fish rots from the head it’s because it does in both MSG franchises. They have ALWAYS been marginal franchises with fair to awful management, mainly the latter. Promise progress and deliver mediocrity and always provide enough distractions and shilling to pacify a passionate but easily duped fan base.

You are correct about Lamoriello who at one time was approached by MSG but wisely decide working for the Devs was the best move.

The hallmark of greatness in any endeavor is consistency, a virtue the MSG group rarely displays.

This GM is the principal architect of “average” that only a bottom line owner and arrogant sport’s dimwit like Junior Dolan would retain for 13 years of treading water.

In any case to repeat, challenge with facts and logic based on your hopefully macro viewpoint.

Just watched a highlight of Kreiders goal today. Just so you know, he will never be called up again. He did play the right way on that goal. He had the nerve to go to the net and position himself for a pass. A total no no in the world of Jam and grind. He wasn’t parked on the wall so that’s that. He is not ready.

Thanks NYR_FAN. An often over looked Ranger sniper on that list Johnny Oh-No-grodnick. That was a fun year, Roger Neilson’s first. Beezer and Freezer in net, Rudy Pokecheck, Knuckles Nilan. Gartner came at the trade deadline and lit things up. Young Brian Leetch. And the Captain wore #11.

Chris Kreider in last two games (2) goals. 6’3 225 lbs . Just what we need for his speed shot & talent. What is he still doing up with The Whale unless Tort’s still has this mental erection for the poor kid. When he’s that talented he’s not going to get any better playing with players in the AHL. YOU PLAY WITH PEOPLE BETTER THAN YOU TO IMPROVE. After “Tort’s Doghouse” which he must have to comfort his massive ego problem he created an AHL purgatory, which the kid is part of. I’m hearing the theme from the movie ” Titanic in the background. How many years did Tort’s survive in Tampa Bay before the players stopped listening to him and the owner fired him.

CCCP, you are not alone. Of course, I wasn’t there for the “Matteau, Matteau, Matteau” game. I had gone to the six in that series prior. That game 6 was amazing IN THEIR HOUSE what Mess, aided by Leetchie and Kovie and others did. Wow!

So, for this game 7, we have plans away for the weekend up in Vermont with another couple. When I cam home from game 6 I told my wife I was going to MSG on Friday night.

Uh….that didn’t happen and I drove like a freaking madman to get up there, 4.5 hours, before game time. Then I had to find a TV with cable that had it on!!! No internet, no satellite. This was 1994, ya know!!!

Watching this Buffalo Washington game. I can now see why Torts was so pissed with our play. Both these teams are awful. Certainly not worthy of national TV. In particular, Buffalo is pitiful and just playing out the string. No way we should lose to that. Add to it no Miller. Ugh.

Matty, I was there for Game 7. I was looking down the goal line, not the end where Matteau scored, but where Leetch did his spin-o-rama.

One thing I will always remember about those goals was Fischler, Melrose among others claiming that Matteau goal should have been disallowed due to Tikkanen being in the crease, which was enforced to a ridiculous level for a few years.

Replays clearly show Tikkanen did not have his skate in the crease too soon. However, on Leetch’s beautiful play, they could have called Kovalev for it. Check the video. If Leetch’s goal would have been waved off, not only would the Garden have gone nuts, but the Devils would not have pulled Brodeur and tied the game with 7 seconds left.

I did not see game 6, I didn’t have SportsChannel and listened to Howie on the old GE radio in the kitchen, pacing back and forth.

I wonder if the system Tortorella seems to believe his team is growing more comfortable with daily is to hope that opponents feel sorry enough for the Rangers that they start putting pucks in their own net.

How does a guy with 20+ years of GM experience not realize that hockey is team sport, that teams take years to form an identity, a soul, and you dont mess with that. The Nash trade made sense then and still does. The failure was going too far- Prust, Feds, maybe even Mitchell- you can make individual decisions on each of them and rationalize why it made sense to let tem go. But this is a TEAM which already was losing 2 of its core in Artie and Dubi. This is so obvious. Yes you overpay a few hundred thousand or an extra year, you do what you must to keep the rest of it intact. The Nash trade was not the problem. It was the failure to understand the soul of the team is not so easily replaceable. The current team has no idea who they are. It’s a shame, it was a truly a spaecial Ranger team and the arrogant one destroyed it.

Romeo, had no idea about that. Will have reason (yet again!) to watch the game again. Thanks!!

Must have been deafening. Always special when MSG erupts. Can’t imagine any bigger reason up till that point. I still wonder if the Derbils were the better team. They were so evenly matched. But we had….The Captain.

Matteau, arrogant is a nice term for him. I have always felt he was stubborn. Stubborn because he has a ‘one size fits all’ way to handle situations. Like someone gave him a handbook at the beginning of his career and told him to never waiver. Special situations or not.

Perhaps stubborn is kind. Ignorant? Dunno.

The only talent he has is trying to wait out trades until he can extract what he wants from the other team.

I would hate to see how good our team COULD be if we had a real GM who understands team chemistry, drafts even fairly well, and signs logical FA’s.

Well, Stranger, if he’s streaking, as he has in the past, he’s come to the right place. He can set up all he wants to Hanks right side and blast away. Wonder how many times he’ll be hit to the ice. Let me guess…none?

Wow! So the fact that the Kreider went to the net, made the right read to go there, and buiried that pass he recieved is nothing special because both defenseman left their position? Seriously? You do realize that that is a play no one on this team makes? Most of the forwards go behind the net no matter what because that is what they are told to do. Grind, grind grind, cycle aimlessly, boards, boards ,boards.

So last night he scores a breakaway goal by gaining a position to recieve a pass and use his speed to score a goal on a pretty deke. Manny says he was nothing special. Today he scores a goal again and again he is nothing special. So if he continues to score goals like the last two in two games and averages 5 shots on goal per game, that equates with nothing special.

I agree, Matteau. Heart and sole, regrettably is not Gabby. I appreciate him as a player. Resent his huge price tag and the fact that he takes nights/shifts off, etc. and currently isn’t producing. But he is a game breaker and nice to have on your team, no doubt. Does he make others around him better, like a high priced player should? I’m not so sure of that. However, he’s a nice to have.

Given his price tag and always questionable health, I’m not so sure anyone takes him even up for Nash, even throwing in Erixon and a first. But if you could, I would take that trade (and the non-trade part, too, in keeping our core here) in a flash.

Czech, the most blaring part of watching the Pitt Boston game this afternoon was watching how much time they set up IN FRONT of the net, not behind. Those are two pretty good offenses. Pret-t-t-t-t-t-y good.

So, hypothetically, when the Rangers miss the playoffs and win the #1 pick in the draft, if Dubi and Artie play like they’re capable of and if Columbus uses the pick on someone who becomes the center of their team build… does Howson get his job back?
Remember…. only hypothetical….

Despite how poorly they played the last 3, I simply cannot believe that the pride in that locker room will allow these guys to sit on their hands. I can’t believe that they will, at least, bust their buts the last 20 or so and get into the playoffs. I can’t believe that Richards doesn’t have some pride. I can’t believe that Gaborik has as little as he’s shown. And the list goes on and on. No matter what’s up in the club house, these guys are more talented than they currently show and I remain expectant that they will turn it around some.

First round exit? I’m not sure. Could be. But I would be VERY surprised if Girardi, Hank, Callie, you know, the core, doesn’t push these guys to work hard now that the chips are down.

apocryphal label. Did you read aloud your Ranger Post at the soiree? Certainly not. Like a character said in Hemingway’s ‘The Sun Also Rises, ‘I have my literary friends and then I have my tennis friends.’ Always appreciated that line. Great novel, by the way.

The Euro Zone ordered Cyprus to seize bank accounts and forfeit a percentage of up to 10% in return for guaranteed loans. Wow! Run of Cyprus banks and guaranteed run on banks all over in that sector tomorrow. Zowie.

columbus was not trading Nash for Gabby. they wanted to get younger and save something called money.

they lost regularly with Nash why would they want to lose regularly with gabby and his similar salary.

that makes no sense……

goals are golas wherever they are scored they equal the same. Kreider better be called up for tommorrows game else management is out of there minds. 6 goals in 8 games…nah no need to take halpern or powe or haler or others out of the lineup. 28th in the league in goals scored is just fine…

i forgot this is just a little move and they need so much more so why make it? that makes sense, if you are a moron…multiple little moves equal big change….

Stuart wrong Columbus was happy to pay Nash they didn’t ask for the trade. In any event they would have gained with a shorter contract obligation. Still could have given them Erixon if youth was necessary.

“Kris Newbury catalyzed a game-tying goal just under three minutes later. From the end boards, with Will Weber on his back, Newbury shoved a pass ahead of the short-side post, where Chris Kreider was lurking on the crease to bury his 11th of the year. The Boston College product has scored six times in his last eight games for Connecticut since being reassigned by the Rangers.

“Chris is day by day starting to use his assets, his neutral zone speed, his physical positioning, cashing in a little bit here and there. Six in his last eight I think; more than here and there,” Head Coach Ken Gernander

Let’s bring both of them up. How much worse could Gernander be. He was pretty scrappy when he played for the Rangers